Baden-Powell's
first regimental posting was to the 13th Hussars, a
cavalry regiment with a long tradition. They were perhaps
best known for their part in the Charge of the Light
Brigade before the Russian guns at Balaklava in the
Crimean War. Battle Honors for the 13th Hussars included:
"Waterloo," "Peninsula,"
"Toulouse," "Orthes,"
"Vittoria," and "Albuhera" in the
Napoleonic Wars; "Alma," "Balaklava"
(Charge of the Light Brigade), "Inkerman," and
"Sevastapol" in the Crimean War; and,
"South Africa 1899-1902" and "Relief of
Ladysmith" in the Boer War.

Baden-Powell's
military service through 1907 is summarized in C. R. B.
Barrett, History of The XIII. Hussars, William
Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London, 1911:

BADEN-POWELL,
Sir ROBERT STEPHENSON SMYTH, K.C.V O, K.C.B.
Lieutenant, 13th Hussars, 11th September 1876;
Adjutant, 1st April 1882 to 17th February 1886;
Captain, 16th May 1883; Major, 1st July 1892; Brevet
Lieutenant-Colonel, 25th March 1896;
Lieutenant-Colonel (5th Dragoon Guards), 25th April
1897; Extra Regimental employ, 8th July 1899; Brevet
Colonel, 8th May 1897; Major-General, 23rd May 1900;
Lieut.-General, 10th June 1907; served in Zululand in
1888 as Assistant Military Secretary to General
Officer Commanding, and as Intelligence Officer
(mentioned in despatches); expedition to Ashanti
under Sir Francis Scott, 1895 (Brevet
Lieutenant-Colonel and star); operations in South
Africa as Chief Staff Officer to Sir F. Carrington
(Matabele campaign, 1896-97 (mentioned in despatches,
medal, brevet of Colonel); South African War of
1899-1900; defence of Mafeking till relieved by
Brigadier-General Mahon and Colonel Plumer (promoted
Major-General for distinguished service in the field,
and mentioned in despatches); afterwards served as
Major-General on the Staff (Queen's medal with three
clasps, King's medal with two clasps and C.B.; also
served in the Ashanti campaign, where he raised and
commanded a Native Contingent and Scouts; also served
in Afghanistan in 1880-81; created C.B., 1900;
K.C.V.O., 1909; and K.C.B. the same year; organised
South African Constabulary; Inspector-General of
South African Constabulary, 1900-3; Inspector General
of Cavalry, 1903-7.

Baden-Powell's
painting "South Africa, August 21st,
1900." When C. R. B. Barrett
was writing the History of the XIII Hussars,
he looked to one of the most distinguished
veterans and serving officers of the 13th
Hussars, Lieutenant-General Sir Robert
Baden-Powell. The two volume set has several
color plates, some done exclusively for this
history. Volume II is introduced with
Baden-Powell's painting "South Africa,
August 21st, 1900." It depicts a member
of the 13th Hussars offering a "hand
up" to a dismounted Hussar during an
engagement near the Buffalo River. The regimental
history reported the events of the day.

B-P served with the 13th Hussars in India, Afghanistan,
South Africa and, on home service, in England. In 1912,
he would be appointed Colonel of the Regiment. Over the
years, he would write about his experiences in several
books and in hundreds of letters home, many illustrated
with his sketches.

Trooper
on post in Kandahar,
Afghanistan during B-P's first
posting to the 13th Hussars
(1880-81)
From: Baden-Powell,
Indian Memories, 1915

Uniform
for field
service in India. Mount
with blanket roll and rifle.
(c. 1880)
From: Baden-Powell, Indian Memories, 1915

In
Afghanistan, the field uniform remained the traditional
dark blue with white trim. In India, Khaki was worn for
field service. The dress uniform remained dark blue with
a double white stripe on the trousers. The officers
uniforms were highlighted with gold lace. The busby was a
tall fur hat with a baglike ornament hanging from the top
over the right side. The busby of the 13th was dressed
with a plume, a white egret feather held by a gilt ring (see
the 1880 Field Service Uniform and the 1886 Dress Uniform).
The sun helmet (see the Trooper at Kandahar) was
originally white, but was changed to khaki during the
South African War. "A blue and white satin badge was
worn on the left side of the khaki helmet as a
distinguishing badge, and '13 H' on the shoulder straps
of the men. (Barrett, History of the XIII Hussars,
1910).

"Khaki
uniforms were introduced for British colonial troops
in India and were found to be especially effective
for field service and battle. After the Indian Mutiny
(1857-58) khaki served as the official colour for
uniforms of British armies, native and colonial, in
India; later it was adopted in other parts of the
British Empire and by other nations."

"During the South African War (1899-1902),
cotton khaki proved to be unsatisfactory because of
climatic conditions, so woolen and worsted serge were
introduced. The use of olive tints, which reduce
visibility against bare ground and foliage, began
during World War I."

Even
after the change to khaki, the full dress uniform
remained quite elaborate in the best traditions of the
cavalry. Baden-Powell is shown in full dress in
photographs from the Coronation of
King George in 1937.

Dress
Uniform of 1886

From: C. R. B. Barrett,History of the XIII Hussars, 1910

"Early
Days in India"relates
B-P's adventures as a young officer with the 13th
Hussars in India. Excerpt from Baden-Powell,s autobiography, Lessons
from the Varsity of Life, Chapter III - Soldiering.

B-P's
first Commanding Officer, Sir Baker Creed Russell, 13th
Hussars. He had a distinguished career, serving in the Indian
Mutiny, the 1st Ashanti War, the Zulu War, the Egyptian War, and
the South African War.

"The 13th at Waterloo"
recounts the actions of the 13th Light Dragoons
during the Waterloo Campaign of 1815. From
the Regimental History, C. R. B. Barrett, History
of the XIII Hussars, 1911.

"The 13th at Balaclava."
The 13th Light Dragoons in the Charge of the
Light Brigade before the Russian guns at the
Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. From
the Regimental History, C. R. B. Barrett, History
of the XIII Hussars, 1911.

"The 13th Hussars in
the South African War." While B-P was engaged in the Siege of
Mafeking and on later Special Duties, his Regiment, the 13th
Hussars, served with distinction in South Africa. From the Regimental
History, C. R. B. Barrett, History of the XIII Hussars,
1911.

"H.M.
13th Light Dragoons." The Regiment served in India
from 1819-1840. During that time, as the 13th Light Dragoons,
the regiment took part in the suppression of the mutiny at
Bangalore and in actions at Kurnool and Zorapoor. Excerpts from
the Regimental History, C. R. B. Barrett, History
of the XIII Hussars, are featured in the Family
History in India website, which is designed to help people
research their European and Anglo-Indian family history in
colonial India. (This website is
unavailable. Some information can be found in the Internet
Archives at
http://web.archive.org/web/20071110200212/http://members.ozemail.com.au/~clday/)

The 13th
Hussars were raised in 1715. As part of Army
consolidation after the First World War the 13th Hussars
were amalgamated with the 18th Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
to form the 13th/18th Royal Hussars in
1922. They were in turn consolidated with the 15th/19th
King's Hussars to form the Light Dragoons
in 1992.

From
the British Army Home Page:

THE
LIGHT DRAGOONS

As
the name suggests, light dragoons were light cavalry
who were capable of dispositions, cutting enemy lines
of communication and harassing the enemy in the
pursuit.

All
four regiments served in a wide variety of campaigns
around the world including the Peninsula War, the
Crimea, India and the Boer War in South Africa. Many
battle honours were won including the first battle
honour ever awarded at Emsdorff in 1760 to the 15th.

Others
include Sahagun (1808) and Balaklava (1854). Both
days are still celebrated by the regiment. In 1922,
the 13th and 18th and the 15th and 19th were
amalgamated as part of the draw-down in the size of
the army after the Great War.

Both
regiments fought with distinction during World War
II. The most notable achievement was the use by the
13th/18th of the Duplex Drive Sherman tanks to swim
ashore on D-Day (6 June 1944). After the war both
regiments were principally involved in the fighting
of the Cold War in West Germany, but also took part
in the campaigns in Malaya, Aden and Muscat.

The
ending of the Cold War and the collapse of the Warsaw
Pact meant a further draw-down in the size of the
army and so the Light Dragoons were formed. The name
of the new regiment represents a return to our roots
and the cap badge is an amalgamation of the regiment
which still retains the character of its forebears -
speed, daring and an invaluable asset for the
commander on the battlefield.

A
Note on the Regimental System of the British Army
From: Land Forces
of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
(website temporarily unavailable)

The
Regimental System

Loyalty to a regiment or corps is a peculiar
characteristic of the British Army: each regiment is
a family zealously guarding its heritage and
traditions, and during the heyday of this system
(1881-1956) personnel were not normally transferred
out of the family against their will. This esprit de
corps is a nebulous quality that has on occasion
snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, but has
also been regarded as an inefficient anachronism in
the latter part of the 20th century. While there have
been several attempts since 1945 to dismantle this
system, the Army of the 1990s still thrives on it.
Like many British institutions, the regimental system
evolved haphazardly rather than by any conscious
design.

Snapshots of the British Army, in the form of rolls
of regiments at various periods in the Army's
history, serve to illustrate the evolving continuity
and heritage of this regimental system that has been
described as both the envy and puzzlement of the rest
of the world. The modern British Army was born in
1660 with the Stuart restoration to the throne. In
the subsequent three and a half centuries the army
evolved from a very small insular establishment to a
far-flung imperial force, and back again to something
similar to its original role.

Land
Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth(website temporarily unavailable)

For excellent
research on the history, uniforms and command of the 13th
Hussars, see the materials on Stephen Luscombe's website on the
British Empire.

On
March 25, 1897, Baden-Powell was appointed to
command the 5th
Dragoon Guards. He served with the
Regiment in India until June 1899.

Lord Robert Baden-Powell, founder
of the World Scout Movement, began his career as
a Lieutenant in the 13th Hussars in India. In his
army career, he would rise to Lieutenant-General
and Inspector-General of Cavalry and later serve
as the Regiment's Colonel.